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Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Meeting Frankie from Bear Cottage

Frankie from Bear Cottage shakes paws.

SAT readers may be aware
that SAT has been behind a fundraiser for Bear Cottage, a children’s hospice
based in Manly. We learned about Bear Cottage when we read about the residentassistance canine, Frankie, who among other things can operate the electric
train set and use the lifts to get herself around the place. Frankie is the
non-human member of an incredible team who care not only for sick kids but
their entire families.

We were fortunate enough
to be invited to Bear Cottage to meet the team (although Phil sat this one out
in front of the heater).

It was a pretty miserable
Sydney morning, the traffic resembled a scene from Ben Elton’s Gridlock and it the rain poured down. The
moment I arrived Frankie greeted me at the door, gave me an enthusiastic sniffing-over
then laid down on the couch with her head in my lap.

Frankie lies down on command.

As I toured the Cottage I
could see first-hand just how important this kind of place is, providing
comfortable accommodation, art, music and play therapy, a homely environment
and total care so families can spend precious time together. And Frankie’s
presence just adds to the warmth of the place.

Bear Cottage is a resource
in demand – it operates at 100 per cent capacity and staff try to accommodate
the needs of visitors as very best they can.

Frankie contemplates her next trick...and a treat.

Frankie agreed to
demonstrate a couple of tricks for me (for a small price of course, she is a Labrador).
When I returned from the car with a basket of presents for her she knew that
she was the intended recipient and started to unwrap them immediately. She
received a new bed, a food hopper, a bag of toys, some Greenies and potato ears
(like pig’s ears but made of potato instead of pork).

Frankie embraces one of her new toys on her new bed.

I wish everyone I gave
gifts to responded with such enthusiasm! It was a fantastic morning and a real
honour to be able to visit the team. Frankie was still on her new bed when I
left.

Frankie rapidly established that potato ears are better eaten than worn.

I have one more superdeed
to perform as part of my fundraising commitments before hanging up the cloak
til next year. That involves giving a lecture at the University of New South
Wales next week. You can donate to this effort here, or find out more about Bear Cottage here.

Veterinary Ethics: Navigating Tough Cases

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